I'm a little worried about the CCAW, copper clad aluminum wire used in the voice coil.......for example the AD2000X uses a high purity copper wire in the voice coil, 7N OFC, which is probably why they sound much better than the AD2000X. The AD900X also has aluminum mesh where the AD2000X has magnesium. I might try new AD2000x drivers, that I can get for an additional $90, I'll have to see how they sound, and then posibly try a different cable, either pure silver or silver copper hybrid. Since, these would be for home use only, Parametric EQ at 30hz and 60hz, would bring the sub bass up......I still use those settings for some of my music with the S500. Although my S500 have plenty of bass on most music, to the point the bass bottoms out with the EQ on, which distorts on music with heavier bass. I like good clean tight quality bass, but it can get overdone in a lot of poor mastered music. With EQ I can control that with one mouse click in my jRiver MC software! I listen to a lot of female vocals, and EQ on the sub bass will tame the high pitch female voice!

Just thinking ahead, I haven't heard any open back cans other than the Senn HD650, and even with a pure silver cable, they were too dark sounding as I remember, but they have been gone for more than six months. Looking for to the open sound of the AD900X, hope they can compare in sound to my modded S500's. I know my S400 with Moon Audio Blue Dragon will be up for sale. With my two S500, modded, the S400's only get used for comparisons!

These cans excel with female vocals like nothing I have ever heard before so I would get them first and burn them in real good before doing a recable. I know you like to do your mods and such and I am sure you can tweek these things to become giant killers but seriously I have a hard time trying to find faults in the sound.. They leak like crazy but that is to be expected but beyond that. These have a sound to them that is hard for me to put down. Even when the hype on the FXZ100/FXZ200 thread was in full swing. The same time I got these cans. I had to curb my enthusiasm for these as I couldn't believe this sound. I told 2 individuals of this find and both of them bought them. That would be Ghost and DannyBai..I tried hard not to let the cat out of the bag but something that sounds like these cans for the price.. This is a discovery. A significant one.

You guys should know the timing for why I am now fully backing up these cans. It took Danny to hear them as he owns 2 of the most popular open cans on all of Headfi being the HE-400 and HE-500. And I wanted him to hear these to get a good idea how these stack up to them. I thought well these cans might be at that level. Lol. How surprised was I when he messaged me this.

These are such a bargain for the sound. I mean look at all the portable headphones I've purchased recently that cost more than this. None of them can reproduce this sound. I don't see how this sound improves. Mine don't sound congested at all. These sound so open, so airy. I put on one of my favorite recordings which is Henryk Gorecki's symphony no. 3 " II Lento e largo, tranquillissimo" and her voice has never sounded airier or better. I keep repeating the tune. This can has the best air of all my open cans. Just beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

The fit is loose but it doesn't slide off. When I first put it on, I gotta adjust it and its fine. Feeding this thing with a clean sounding amp I think is ideal. I mean the ODAC/O2 sounds so good with these, not sure if I want to use anything else. WOW.

This is on first day of using them.. I think he was a little impressed. By the way for the cost of one HE-400. You can buy 2X AD900X and for the cost of a HE-500 3X AD900X. Or better yet. For the cost of a HE-400 you can buy a FXZ200 and a AD900X..

Yes but for the cost of these cans and the sound they produce. I would say the cost is a actually a bargain. The reason why I got interested in these cans is because of this read right here. Yohttp://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-57-headphones-compared-update-hifiman-he-400-added-12-24-12#post_8827188u guys can look up what this man says about the older AD900. One of only four cans he gives a A+ sound rating for. You guys consider the other cans that are on this list if that is not enough for guys to take notice I don't know what is. From prior experiences with AT revisions. I know they actually improve on previous version of headphones be it the A900 in the A900X, older CKS earphones to the new CKS earphones, the AD900 to the new AD900X. It is the one aspect about Audio Technica that I actually applaud.

They don't sit idle and leave good enough alone they are always trying to get a better sound. I got the AD900X when I bought my CKS1000, FXZ100 and FXZ200.. The AD900X stuck out plain and simple as something very special in sound.. The FXZ200 impressed me greatly with their sound but these. These are simply one of the best sounds I have ever heard. Once you hear that stage and that air. You are hooked.

Just to be clear however. These have what I call accurate tight clean refined bass. They don't have basshead levels of bass. So bass guys will find the bass to be light on these but for me these have a bass end that is perfect with the rest of the sound signature. I don't know if these will actually sound right with 7-9 db of boosted bass levels..Bass instruments and sub bass is excellent on these and yes they can be eqed easily to have much more bass end. So what is the main sound difference between the AD900 and the AD900X? I am certain the AD900X has more bass over the very anemic bass end of the AD900. These new AD900X actually has some really nice tight accurate bass. These did win a 4 out of 5 stars for club music in that Japanese winter catalog. Which means they have bass.. Trance actually sounds freakishly great using these by the way. Vocal trance especially is on another tier over other cans.

Don't know if it would be cheaper for you but the A900X on Amazon Japan Using Tenso is a steal right now at less than a $150 and then around $35 for shipping.. Even with custom charges if there is any that is still cheaper than what they have them there in Germany for.

Just to be clear however. These have what I call accurate tight clean refined bass. They don't have basshead levels of bass. So bass guys will find the bass to be light on these but for me these have a bass end that is perfect with the rest of the sound signature. I don't know if these will actually sound right with 7-9 db of boosted bass levels..Bass instruments and sub bass is excellent on these and yes they can be eqed easily to have much more bass end. So what is the main sound difference between the AD900 and the AD900X? I am certain the AD900X has more bass over the very anemic bass end of the AD900. These new AD900X actually has some really nice tight accurate bass. These did win a 4 out of 5 stars for club music in that Japanese winter catalog. Which means they have bass.. Trance actually sounds freakishly great using these by the way. Vocal trance especially is on another tier over other cans.

Speaking of. This is the first time I tried my Ele with my AD900X. Excellent!

These cans having nice n big brawny 53mm angled drivers. You guys can guess how they take to cleaner more powerful sources. But the real beauty of these cans. If you feel like wearing them on a spring day outdoors using your DAP of choice. Even a little clip will drive them just fine.. They are 38 Ohms. Very efficient. Just using my Sony Z1060 they sound incredible.

These cans having nice n big brawny 53mm angled drivers. You guys can guess how they take to cleaner more powerful sources. But the real beauty of these cans. If you feel like wearing them on a spring day outdoors using your DAP of choice. Even a little clip will drive them just fine.. They are 38 Ohms. Very efficient. Just using my Sony Z1060 they sound incredible.

Have you got a picture without the pads.......are the drivers angled, or are the pads wider in the back like say the AD2000X, can't find the right pics!

OK. I expected that answer regarding the HE-400 vs AD900X for EDM stuff. This makes the decision tough for bass lovers.

Two questions here:

1) What is better on the HE-500 over the AD900X and vice versa?

2) Which one do you like better for EDM music, the FXZ200 or the HE-400?

1) Vocals on the AD is more forward. HE500's sound more lush. HE500's holds a thicker note all around. Bass is fuller on the HE500 but AD's has more precise impact. Treble region is somewhat similar sounding. Can't tell you which one I prefer over the other. AD's aren't as genre specific for me. If it matters, I have to turn the volume knob double on the HE500's to match the AD's.

2) This is a close call but I think I will go with Z200's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute

Would like some feedback from the guys that have the AD900X! If you could improve the sound of these to be better, what would you change....more bass? more treble? better extension on either end? I am going to be ordering wire for a replacement cable on mine when they arrive, so these impressions would be helpful for the type of wire I use. Copper, spc and pure silver can change some of these things for the better.....so I need critical listening feedback!

For example, a silver copper hybrid cable, two pure silver wires for signal, two copper wires for ground, would give a smoother warmer sound with more bass!

Pure silver all four wires would give better detail, more treble and stronger tighter bass!

SPC wire, silver plated copper, would give more detail to the higher end, more extension in the highs, but probably less bass!

What's missing in the AD's would be more heft in the lower mids and upper bass.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute

Have you got a picture without the pads.......are the drivers angled, or are the pads wider in the back like say the AD2000X, can't find the right pics!

I'll let Ds get you the picture but you can clearly see through the outside grill that the drivers are angled.

Thanks guys.....great pic Ds thanks.......I have pure silver wire with 1% gold added, on order, Toxic Cables, where listeners say adds more to the lower end, with a smoother warm sound throughout. Still will be using copper for the returns, but this will be a little different than the cables I made for my S500. The silver copper hybrid cable on my S500 is surely warmer with a little stronger bass, where the other S500 with DHC copper cable is quite different, with a sharper defined, more impactful note, and more forward mids with a more sparkly treble. No loss of detail in either cable, but a distinct difference in sound!

Pads look the very same as the AD2000x, buyfromjapan wants $70 a pair plus shipping, and amazon.jp has the AD900X pads for $29....bet they are both the same, buyfromjapan does not show any pics though!